YOUNGSTOWN— Bullets will be buzzing near Youngstown this weekend as Bay County starts the test phase of its public gun range.

The Campflowers Gun Range will be open for shooters from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The first half of each day (8 a.m. to noon) is for 10-yard pistol shooting; the second half (noon to 4 p.m.) is for 100-yard rifle shooting.

County Commissioner Guy Tunnell said the range has been a “labor of love” and he’s worked hard to make it a reality. He said the news is full of reports about record firearm sales, so the range gives the public a safe place to practice with their guns.

“It’s harder and harder for the public to have access to a public area where they can fire weapons,” he said, adding, “I think it’s very timely. I hope the response will be good. I think it will.”

Shooters must bring their own targets, but target frames and backings will be provided. Shotguns and automatic weapons are prohibited.

The county has partnered with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) for these open shooting days — at no cost to the county. FWC will provide a range safety officer to oversee the weekend events. The officer also will collect the $10-per-adult fee for use of the range. Minors under 16 are free, but they must be accompanied by an adult.

Public clamoring

The public gun range has been something the community long has clamored for, but the county and FWC are taking a wait-and-see approach to judge how well it is used.

“We get a lot of calls — both the county and the FWC get calls — on a regular basis (from) folks looking for a safe place to shoot, particularly their rifles, and hopefully we can provide that here,” said George Warthen, who coordinates public shooting ranges for the FWC.

Warthen said public shooting ranges in the Panhandle usually see 50 to 100 shooters for these weekend events.

This weekend kicks off the open shooting days, and the range will be open several more times during the next few months: May 18 and 19; June 8 and 9; and July 13 and 14.

The initial dates are designed to gauge public interest to see if the venture is worth pursuing. If it is, the county likely will build its own shooting range on a separate piece of property.

The Campflowers range, although on county property, is used by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Frank McKeithen “was open to us using this to establish something to determine the public’s interest,” said Jamie Jones, county general services director.

Tunnell said he didn’t want to see a lot of effort or money committed to a gun range until he was sure it would be used.

“I hope the numbers will justify us making the next step,” he said.

The county is looking at putting the new range at the Steelfield Landfill, which already has several natural berms, Tunnell said. Most of the work to build the range could be done in-house, and FWC would do the design work, he said. Grants likely would be available to fund it.

Tunnell did not say how much county money he would feel comfortable being spent on such a range; he said he is more focused on the here and now.

“For me the whole thing hinges on what kind of response we get in the next couple of months,” he said.

The gun range is at the BCSO Wilderness Camp, 8428 S. Campflowers Road in Youngstown.

If you go

What: Public gun range

When: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; May 18-19; June 8-9; and July 13-14.

Where: BCSO Wilderness Camp, 8428 S. Campflowers Road, Youngstown

Cost: $10 per adult; minors under 16 are free but must be accompanied by an adult.